


Summertime Gangsters

by ShannynFaucheux



Category: Durarara!!
Genre: Akabayashi dyeing his hair while his lover watches with fond eyes yes YES GIVE ME THAT BITCH, Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Yakuza, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, F/M, Friendship, Gyms, I can't wait to forget this fic and re-read it, If that 3AM lo-fi music playlist was a fic it would be this one I believe, Insomnia, Jigsaw Puzzles, Late Night Conversations, Long descriptions of everything because there is a vibe here, Love, M/M, Oneshot, Rummikub ;), Slice of Life, Summer, That I definitely did not use as a metaphor, We are looking at a fifteen year old relationship, Yakuza slang, You know each other's atoms at that point, apricots, sun - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:53:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23638627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShannynFaucheux/pseuds/ShannynFaucheux
Summary: Few days of summer that pass with a kind-hearted melancholy. Insomnia, ice-cold beers drunk under restless stars,A novel of '' I am here with you. ''
Relationships: Akabayashi Mizuki/Shiki Haruya, Aozaki Shuu/Original Character
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	Summertime Gangsters

**Author's Note:**

  * For [drx](https://archiveofourown.org/users/drx/gifts).



> I am bitter, lonely, and I need sun. 
> 
> ;(
> 
> Rummikub; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rummikub

_Summertime Gangsters_

Shiki opened his eyes for the third time since falling in and out of sleep for ten to fifteen-minute intervals, having rather cryptic dreams in between that left his heart shaky and limbs heavy. This was the third time in this month where he had difficulties falling asleep and _staying_ asleep. He kept his gaze on his man's sleeping form next to him and waited for the unrestful feeling to pass.

Dark blue hue of the night had surrounded their bedroom.

_Summer._ Where your skin feels warm and sticky and you take five-minute showers regardless of the time. Summer is when lovers’ legs and feet tangle to each other in search of a cooler spot on the sheets. The terrace door would be left open and the dawn breeze would leave goose bumps on your skin. There, you would pull a thin cotton blanket to your shoulders. But with the heat of the sun, the blanket would quickly be pushed under your feet to be half hanging from the bed, until one of you woke up to the sound of a few early birds and sleepily pulled it back onto your shoulders.

Beings would seep into days in a melancholic tranquillity, and the feeling would turn into a mellow nostalgia in the cold, grey-fallen days of winter.

Akabayashi was snoring, Shiki cracked a light smile;

-‘’ You're snoring. Fix your pillow, Mizuki. ‘’ He whispered softly to his man.

 _-'’ Hn..’’_ Akabayashi cleaned his throat and wetted his lips; ‘’- Was I? Sorry. '’ Standing on his elbow, he lifted his head and patted the pillow before turning it over to sleep on its cooler side.

After a silence, he opened his eye and met with Shiki's night fallen brown eyes; ‘’- Don’t tell me..’’

Shiki sighed and nodded. ''- _I can’t sleep. ''_

Raising his right arm, Akabayashi opened his arms and twitched his fingers, mumbling; ‘’- ‘Kay come try it here. ‘’

Shiki followed the invitation and tucked himself under Akabayashi's chin, but complained; ‘’- Your tank top is wet. ‘’

‘’- Y'know I'm always wet for you. ‘’ Akabayashi muttered, making the other huff. He began softly massaging Shiki's limbs. He was still half asleep. _Experience_ would know what to do, however.

His hand passed the back of Shiki's tank top ‘’- Yours is wet too. ‘’ He rubbed that spot in circular motions, and then dipped his fingers into the black waters of Shiki's hair. He lightly massaged the back of his scalp with his fingertips...

After a while, he asked.;

-‘’ Nothing? ‘’ Tiredly shaking his head, Shiki separated himself from Akabayashi' arms and laid on his back. Letting out a soft sigh, he stared at the ceiling;

-‘’ You go back to sleep. I’ll sit at the terrace a bit. ‘’ _Rather, wait for the sun to come up._ Shiki pulled his weight up and sat on the edge of the bed, then half-heartedly tugged the thin cotton blanket back onto bed so that it didn’t sweep the parquet. Next, he changed his white tank top to a new one.

-‘’ Nah, grab a few beers from the freezer-‘’ Akabayashi stretched loudly and dangled his legs from the bed; ‘’- Good timing though, it’s not like we need to go to the office in the morning. ‘’

When hottest days of summer fell to concrete-soul of Tokyo city, Dougen Awakusu would retreat to his condo in _Akita_ for a few weeks, and the business would slow down in meantime. This year, the tradition was no different, Mikiya and his family went for a vacation in _Kagoshima_ , executives were free to do as they liked as long as few vital jobs did not get affected.

While his insomniac lover went downstairs to the kitchen to grab the drinks, Akabayashi carried the pedestal fan across their bed to the terrace. They had an AC in the bedroom, but it didn’t work properly due to a voltage problem. He then dragged two plastic chairs around a square folding table. While rather sloppily, he wiped the table and the chairs with an old cloth that always waited on the clothesline at the back of the terrace.

In tonight’s blue velvet fold, stars were barely visible, they shone as tiny pinpoints in night sky. Few rickety butterflies were headbutting the cosy yellow ampoule of the terrace. They sat across each other, water driblets slid from the ice-cold beers into tiny pools and left a ring-shaped splotch whenever they lifted the drinks to their lips. The black ashtray standing in the middle of the table was a shared home for one stick of _Marlboro Black Menthol_ , and one stick of _Seven Stars_ cigarette.

-‘’ You should’ve slept.’’ Shiki twirled his cigarette in between his three fingers as he hunched cross legged on the chair and swept his other hand along the hairs on his left leg. Lights brought out the reds in their irezumi; ‘’- There’s nothing to do. ‘’

-‘’ There’s _something_ we can do..’’ While he did not like it when his lover suffered, Akabayashi found it endearing the way he would act like that twenty-year-old he has been loving for the past fifteen years; sulking and upset with life because he could not sleep.

-‘’ It’s not _that_ bad, Mizuki. ‘’ Shiki said, after huffing a laugh and shaking his head.

‘’- I can bring _it_ over here..’’ Akabayashi offered. Shiki nibbled on his lips, vaguely scratched the scar on his temple, then resigned;

‘’- Alright.’’

Akabayashi went downstairs and came back with an unopened package of _1000_ piece jigsaw puzzle of Van Gogh’s _Café Terrace at Night_ painting. Shiki dragged the beers and the ashtray to the side to make room for the cardboard he extended to him. They exchanged fond, mischievous looks of _‘’we are two yakuza over thirty, what are we doing?’’_ as Akabayashi ripped the plastic around the package and let it fall onto the marble with a smirk on his face.

First, they sorted the pieces by colour and pattern and put them into blue porcelain cups, then started assembling the border pieces. Shiki was quiet, with his eyes on the work; back of his mind ever-twirling the matters hidden to him that were keeping him awake. Akabayashi let out small victorious grunts whenever he assembled a piece correctly, and Shiki smiled at him.

Hours passed.

As Shiki continued with the puzzle, Akabayashi took a break and spent some time on his phone. He was just enough hazy with funster sleep dancing around like a child, and a bit of alcohol in his veins from the beers they've drunk earlier. Meanwhile, Indigo blue sky lightened to the cold, grey/blue of before light, and five o’ clock came with tiny chirpings of early birds.

He put his phone to the side and lifted his muscular arms to give his back a stretch.

‘’- Go sleep for a few hours until breakfast. I'll wake you up. ‘’ Shiki offered. He wouldn’t feel a thing if his lover got himself stabbed in an alleyway while messing with punks who sold weed around the neighbourhood, but he did feel guilty when he robbed him of his sleep too. 

Akabayashi gave him a twitch of his lips to indicate he didn’t need to sleep and placed his one arm onto the side of the chair. He leaned in and continued working on the puzzle; ‘’- Let’s do it for a few more hours, I’ll make the breakfast. ‘’ 

‘’- If you say so. ‘’

☀

After a vegetable omelette breakfast, _\- with no caffeine allowed-,_ Akabayashi was sleeping at the dark green couch which he laid down to watch the morning news. Narrowing his eyes against sunshine, Shiki stood by the window with the cup of chamomile tea Akabayashi had sticked to his hand and began watching the lively street down;

Beige skirts down to ankles, men in light grey suits, fingers clutching the handle of black handbags; white and red cars passed around, office ladies' dark chestnut hair took in the sun. One hand rubbing the spot in between his brows, Shiki noted to give his mother a call.

Then he turned off the TV and went to the kitchen next to the living room, leaving Akabayashi in his deep sleep. He emptied the rest of the tea into the sink and started preparing himself a light coffee, just so that he didn’t get a headache on top of everything.

He tapped his fingers on dark grey marble and nibbled on the skin in his mouth while he waited for the water to boil. _Clank,_ he dipped the spoon into the coffee jar; the first day would not be that bad, he rather dreaded the second and third days. He told himself to not grow cranky and _not_ be an asshole to Mizuki. Reminding himself _the last time_ , he turned the spoon over at the rim of his coffee mug. _Clank._

He brought down his copy of _The Master and Margarita_ from upstairs and settled to the green kitchen table to read it.

Akabayashi woke up around three in the afternoon. Trailing the smell of fresh parsley mixed into tomato sauce, he stood next to the kitchen door. He dried a few drops of sweat hanging around his temples with the back of his wrist;

-‘’ _Fuck it’s hot._ You’re making pasta? ‘’ Shiki gave a hum to indicate he was;

-‘’ You can take a shower, it still has some time. ‘’

-‘’ Wanna go to the gym after? ‘’ Akabayashi asked, he was planning to tire him out at the punching bag or the ring. _Or else-_

-‘’ Why not. ‘’

☀

‘’- Water bottles.. ‘’ Just by the door, Shiki extended him two bottles half filled with ice and Akabayashi placed them into his gym bag. Shiki took his own bag to his right shoulder and they left the apartment.

The gym wasn’t far away. They walked on the pavements that have been pulling in the sun, clouds on bright blue sky ripped open by sunrays. Cyclists passed the two men in long-sleeve white shirts; If they looked carefully they would still see the irezumi showing through the thin fabric. Additionally, Shiki was wearing shorts, Akabayashi was in relax-fit, dark olive capri pants.

This particular gym was used and run by yakuza. At the empty changing room, they changed into gym wear and wrapped their hands. Water bottles and boxing gloves under their arms, they walked two floors down where heavy bags, various weight equipment and a ring were available.

Rap music echoed upstairs.

Akabayashi mostly relied on his instincts, sharp reflex and punching power while fighting. Shiki was once a prodigy Aikido student, he quit upon becoming a yakuza and seeing that he could not live following his _sensei’s_ philosophy. Later he learned _Muay Thai_ and took a few _Pencak Silat_ lessons from an Indonesian gangster.

As they threw rhythmic hooks and upper cuts at the heavy bags, Akabayashi watched under a stealthy, also a certainly fond gaze; the way sweat thinly trailed down Shiki's temple and slid down from the red chrysanthemum on his tightening muscles. It has been some time since they have been in a gym or he saw him fight.

Shiki still threw some _scary_ kicks. 

-‘’ Shall we go up on the ring? ‘’ He asked once their _blood_ was warm enough. He smirked at Akabayashi;

-‘’You're really eager to take that elbow, aren't you? ‘’ He left the gloves under the heavy bag and turned to the direction of the ring. Akabayashi followed, his one hand brushed Shiki's butt as he said;

 _-‘’ Maybe. ‘’_ He then lifted his arm to block the elbow Shiki threw at him and laughed.

Shiki put his right foot forward and got into his fighting stance. He looked at him with challenging dark-brown eyes as they circled inside the ring; ‘’- Go easy. We’re not eighteen-year-old chinpira anymore. ‘’

Akabayashi threw the starting jab; ‘’- Are you worried I might hurt you, Shiki Haruya? ‘’ _He couldn’t, even earth and sky merged together. Spring was to love for its sin._

Shiki blocked the punch and completely threw off his opponent by changing his stance and sending a kick that was aimed right at his liver; ‘’- Mostly for that bone I cracked in your left knee years ago, Mizuki. Remember? ‘’

* * *

It was near five and the sun was sinking away, lightest breeze descended from the bluish tint, like a prayed-for angel, it greeted the people returning to their homes. They stopped at a convenience store, Shiki stood in front of the pudding aisle with his head tilted and brow up as he tried to figure out if he really wanted to eat hazelnut pudding like a twelve-year-old, or it was his blood-sugar levels messing with him after their small gym session.

Akabayashi was standing behind him with the shopping cart. His phone started ringing;

\- '' Ao's calling. '' 

-‘’Tell them to come over after dinner. ‘’

-‘‘kay.’’

**☾**

‘’- You are doing a _puzzle_..’’ Aozaki repeated, placing the bottle of sake he has brought onto the dark grey marble; ‘’- Deadass. ‘’

Akabayashi emptied a package of chips into a large bowl; ‘’- I don’t want to leave him alone, _he thinks too much then._ And the nights don’t pass when you sit around doing nothing. ‘’ He pointed his chin at the freezer; ‘’- You take the beers, I’ll bring the snacks. ‘’

For now, the puzzle was carried onto the bed and four yakuza were sitting around the terrace table. They were going to play _rummikub;_ a game with one hundred and six number tiles and racks for players to arrange them onto, while clockwise returning pieces into the tile pool.

Shiki shuffled the tiles, then tattooed arms extended to turn over the tiles that were facing up; ‘’- Why didn’t you bring Leila-san, Ao? ‘’ _Leila_ was Aozaki’s girlfriend. This was their sixth year together;

-‘’ She didn’t want to come. I told her we weren’t doing anything special but..’’ Aozaki placed a rack in front of him and the game started with the players collecting fourteen random tiles and arranging them onto the rummikub racks;

-‘’ We love her around, bring her tomorrow. ‘’

-‘’ She’s certainly better at this game than Kaz. ‘’ Akabayashi added. The executive wearing a salamander print shirt over a tank top stayed quiet and focused on the game.

During the third game, steel-toned laughs echoed up to the night and sake was brought to the table. The _enka_ music playing from the-red haired yakuza’s phone was low in sound but solid in feeling. Shortly after, the four yakuza leaned back in their plastic chairs and hummed along the lyrics; remembering the ones that were lost, at back alleys, on rain-hit grounds..

Kazamoto took his leave around three o’clock; ‘’- I’m going to Shimane to visit my mother, I’ll take a bus, fourteen hours, but safer that way. ‘’

‘’- Well, rummikub is fun with four people.. Should I bring over a card deck instead? ‘’ Aozaki lit a cigarette as Akabayashi refilled their sake. Before drinking the shot, they brought the cups together and lifted them up to the night sky in the memory of fallen gangsters, a seventeen-something-year-old ritual.

‘’- Go bring the puzzle. ‘’ Aozaki said after.

* * *

With his one hand pressed on his cheek, the heavy-built yakuza seemed to be in deep thoughts as he took a puzzle piece and absentmindedly twirled it around his fingers. Shiki and Akabayashi exchanged a look, but refrained from asking anything. They practically grew up together in yakuza, Aozaki would tell them if there was a matter that needed to be talked about;

And he did;

_‘’- Leila is pregnant. ‘’_

Shiki slowly lowered his sake cup and looked at Akabayashi. A silence passed, bugs flew around.

‘’- How.. should we take this news, Ao? ‘’ Placing a hand on Aozaki's shoulder, the red haired yakuza asked. Aozaki looked at them, then lifted a brow. He had a hesitant expression on his face;

-‘’ I told her we could marry and that she could keep the child if she wanted. She asked me if _I_ wanted it. ‘’ He added after a pause; ''- We argued. I acted like an asshole. ''

-‘’ Don’t you want a child? ‘’ Shiki asked.

Making use of the silence that followed after, Akabayashi leaned towards his ear and mumbled;

-‘’ Wouldn't _you_ want a child? ‘’

-‘’ Akane is here two days a week, I learned fifteen ways of baking a damn cookie. I think we’re good, Mizuki.‘’ Shiki replied under his breath, and added; "- Besides, what are we going to do, pick one up from an orphanage? "

\- " We could..."

Ignoring him, Shiki refilled Aozaki’s sake cup and pushed it towards him. Aozaki rotated the cup and watched the liquid inside tremble;

-‘’ There’s no point in being dumb. I love her, _I breathe when I am around her._ ‘’ He took a sip from the sake and continued; ‘’- But very few of us see their fifties, or see it behind the bars. We swore an oath; Haruya, Mizuki, we’re brothers. Be honest, what would happen to that child if I dropped dead on a sidewalk one night? ‘’

He added;

‘’- I talked to Kaz, he told me I was acting like a coward. _Yes_ , but even cowardness doesn’t stop a bullet if it has a decided path. ‘’

Akabayashi sighed while Shiki nodded and agreed on the points he made. However, if facts were concrete, poetry wouldn’t be a thing;

‘’- I’m not saying that sort of thing can not happen. But if it did, we would look after Leila-san, _and your child, Ao._ ‘’

Akabayashi added, smirking; ‘’- I’m pretty sure no one can take us down at the same time. _They couldn’t before, they can’t now._ ‘’ He shrugged and looked into his eyes; ‘’- Whoever survives, takes care of the child.‘’

''- Don't break her heart. '' Shiki added to Akabayashi's words.

Aozaki looked at the two for some time, then huffed and extended his hand to the sake bottle. He pointed them to push their sake cups closer..

The hour lifted a hand up, ordered nostalgia with a side of remorse. They remembered their toughest opponents, an escaped gaze repented to the lining of the stars, for a deadly decision; for an inevitable betrayal that ended in blood. However, in the end, years would pass no matter how hard the blood would stain the pavements. They stayed alive, there was no more to it.

Aozaki left around five o’clock, mumbling the theme-song of a 60’s gangster film, he walked past the pavements with his big hands in his pockets…

* * *

The awakening sky eased the heaviness of the night. Now the cotton blanket on their shoulders, Shiki and Akabayashi laid tangled to each other. Shiki put his forehead against the other's chest. He managed to sleep for an hour or so, then cursed loudly after waking up from another non-interpretable dream.

-‘’ Should I get you your sleeping pills? ‘’ Shiki shook his head and sighed while re-nestling to his safe place of familiar irezumi;

-‘’ I’m not supposed to mix them with alcohol. ‘’

-‘’ yeah.. sorry I forgot. ‘’ Akabayashi fell asleep after that, Shiki listened to his breathing. The sun showed its face for good and it was time to kick the blanket back onto the floor.

He found himself sitting in front of the puzzle and completed a good quarter of it by afternoon.

-‘’ Have you eaten anything? ‘’ Hours later, Akabayashi's voice reached his ears. A bee was humming around the rim of his iced-water glass. A little hungover, he escaped his eyes from the sun as he looked at Shiki’s hunched form over the table of the terrace. Shiki shook his head;

-‘’ I feel like shit, Mizuki. ‘’

-‘’ I know. It’s going to pass, doesn't it always, Haru? ‘’ He walked in and put a small kiss on top of Shiki's warm black hair and peeked at the progress he made on the puzzle; ‘’- Let’s have a late breakfast. ‘’

They watched the re-broadcast of a variety show over a lacklustre breakfast. Last night's alcohol was flipping off their appetite today, so to speak. Shiki’s head was throbbing, he lit a cigarette after another, then remembered he needed to call his mother;

‘’-…Kaz is coming there. I’m sending some money with him, he’ll visit you..’’ He listened to the other line and smiled lightly, putting off his cigarette; ‘’- Yeah, we’ll visit you too, mom. ‘’ The sun fell onto the paperback in front of him. He caressed it softly, smoothening the edges;

‘’- _I’m doing okay, everything’s good._ Watch your health, don’t wander around the orchards all day alright? It’s way too hot nowadays, God forbid.. ‘’

Putting his phone aside, he stared at the cup of hazelnut pudding Akabayashi made earlier for him. The glass cup was reflecting a bright yellow beam with a metal spoon placed neatly against it. He took the cup onto his one palm and today too, turned his eyes to the intersections beyond the window. The cup felt cool on his palm. He followed a grey-suited office worker with his eyes; c _lockwork ghosts in the heart of the city._. A transient puddle of water on the pavement; unknown as to where it came from but where will it seep away...

* * *

After leaving the empty cup in the sink, he found Akabayashi in the bathroom, he was dyeing his hair; 

‘’- My mom says hello. ‘’ Separating a piece of hair to the side and dipping the brush into the dark red hair dye, Akabayashi nodded and smiled;

-‘’ Should we go visit her next week? ‘’ Shiki turned on the water and leaned to the bathtub to watch him get handsomer;

-‘’ Okay. ‘’ Akabayashi pointed the hand mirror on the edge of the sink;

-‘’ I’m going to do the back, would you lift that up for me? ‘’

Standing behind him, Shiki lifted the hand mirror against the one across, the smell of familiar hair dye brought him right back to the murky living room of a smaller apartment; first scars, first almost getting caught. He realized he was standing with his eyes closed when Akabayashi put a kiss on his forehead;

He wrapped his fingers around the handle of the mirror;‘’- Thanks. ‘’ Fingers brushing to each other, the touch full of love, as if it wasn't something accustomed by now, special; every touch was an invitation for a one-more-fifteen years together. 

**☾**

Shiki greeted the honey skinned woman with short, wavy black hair that was tied behind, a red bandana was ornamenting her natural beauty; _‘’- I’ll pray for you to be so happy._ _‘’_ He whispered to her ear as they hugged.

‘’- Please-‘’ He accepted the wine bottle Aozaki extended to him and gestured towards the living room; ‘’- The table is ready. ‘’

Akabayashi peeked at them from the kitchen; ‘’- Welcome. ‘’

A light breeze spread out from the open balcony door and dallied around the domestic atmosphere surrounding the dinner table;

-‘’ What is your plan on the wedding? ‘’ Shiki asked to Aozaki;

-‘’ We’re thinking in upcoming month or so. Neither of us have parents so we’ll take Oyabun’s blessing, then we’ll go from there, I think. ‘’

-‘’ I don’t want anything too fancy. ‘’ Leila added quickly, taking a sip from her ice tea. Shiki lifted his brows as in _'' I don't know about that ''_ and explained;

-‘’ You weren’t there for Mikiya’s wedding. I have to inform you that there is no escaping from _fancy_ when you are a bride of Awakusu-kai. ‘’

-‘’ Lei-san, do you feel a boy or a girl? ‘’ Akabayashi asked in a low voice, expression curious. Leila's forest green eyes were on Aozaki as she thought for a moment;

-‘’ It’s a boy. I saw in a _dream._ ’’ On the answer, Akabayashi brought a hand over his mouth and blinked at Shiki before turning to Aozaki;

-‘’ What do you think _papa_? ‘’ Aozaki sent an irritated look to his side, then replied. His eyes were on Leila, maybe a bit guilty;

‘’- Sorry, but I want a girl, Leila. I can’t chase motorcycle gangs at one point if the kid turns out like me. _But_ I can always send a chinpira to shake whoever boy comes around my daughter. ‘’ He then vaguely pointed his fork at the dinner hosts;

‘’- Though I’m not sure, look at the uncles. ‘’

‘’- She’ll probably be terrified of you, so she’ll come out to us, Ao. ‘’ Akabayashi joked. Shiki poked him with his elbow, preparing to raise his glass for a toast;

‘’- Don’t scare the man, Mizuki. ‘’

* * *

Akabayashi placed the last set of plates into the dishwasher, then dried his hands with a hand towel before turning to Shiki; ‘’- I saw you didn’t drink tonight. ‘’

The puzzle was brought down to the kitchen table, half done as Leila and Shiki had _eagerly_ worked on it after dinner while Akabayashi and Aozaki conversated about the upcoming _J-league_ season over a glass of whiskey.

-‘’ So, you want me to-‘’ He didn’t need to finish that sentence, Shiki nodded, and Akabayashi turned to the cabinet. He placed a cold glass of water and his sleeping pills next to the puzzle;

-‘’ Thanks. ‘’ Shiki muttered as he placed a pill in between his teeth.

‘’ - Come on, don’t be so upset about it. ‘’

They climbed the mahogany stairs to the bedroom arm-in-arm. When they were on fresh pale-yellow sheets, Akabayashi lightly massaged Shiki's limbs. _Tenderness was a midsummer rain that drizzled from his fingertips._ Akabayashi watched his lover get cradled into the boat of sleep, then slid closer to him;

Fresh air of the night had filled their bedroom. Akabayashi whispered to Shiki's parted lips;

‘’- I love you, Shiki Haruya. ‘’

* * *

**_A Week Later -_ **

‘’- I set the bags to the trunk. Anything else? ‘’ Akabayashi asked, walking towards Shiki who was assembling the last four pieces of the puzzle before they set off to _Okayama_ to visit his mother;

-‘’ Oh, you finished it already. Good job, which one should we order next? ‘’

-‘’ Klimt’s _‘The Family’._ I want to gift it to Leila-san.‘’ Shiki replied, then lifted the last piece to Akabayashi for him to place it to the _heart_ of the art piece.

With that, the puzzle was complete.

* * *

Sunrays separated against the unmoving leaves of the gnarly oak tree. In front of his brown orbs, the sky was in the lightest shade of blue. With his fingers connected behind his head, Shiki laid on top of one of the wide branches of the tree. According to his mother, it was his grandfather who planted this tree; he thought about his father, why exactly did he left him, and why did this listless chest of his still care? Was there a child waiting at the thirty sixth intersection of his life, _still?_ Did he have anything to do with the games sleep liked to play with him?

_Of all things-_

‘’- Oi spider man! ‘’

He turned his head and looked down to see Akabayashi holding a basket full of apricots. He was refusing to wear sunscreen no matter how much Shiki had pressured him to, and the sun had already kissed his cheeks into a delicate shade of red. He looked way, _way_ younger like this;

‘’- Catch ‘’ Akabayashi yelled and flew one apricot to him, then another one. Shiki caught them and sat with his one leg dangled down and the other bent on the branch;

-‘’ Have you washed these? ‘’

-‘’ No, I just picked them. ‘’ After a short moment of indecision, Shiki wiped the apricots on his pastel yellow shirt and took a bite of the fresh sugar. The fruit was warm, tasted like summer.

-‘’ Your mom made tea, lunch is ready too- ‘’ Akabayashi pointed his head towards the direction of the cottage house not very far from the tree Shiki was on; ‘’- Come down, let’s go eat. ‘’

His cheeks were a faint, water-mixed shade of red. A smile accentuated the lines near Shiki’s lips as he watched his man turn and take a few steps on the way to the house;

-‘’ Oi Mizuki! ‘’ He called out for him. Akabayashi stopped and turned to him. Shiki lifted the half eaten apricot in his hand and narrowed his eyes; _‘’- I think I just got jealous of the sun, bastard, what have you done to me? ‘’_

He took another bite from the fruit; ‘’ - I love you. ‘’

Akabayashi laughed;

_-‘’ I sure hope so. ‘’_

On that, Shiki aimed the other apricot right at his redhead-

**Author's Note:**

> Road work ahead, I sUrE hOpE It dOES.  
> Anyways, I would like to congratulate you if you managed to come this far. I hope it was enjoyable as I didn't edit it that much. It's just Shiki casually having a mid life crisis.
> 
> Tumblr; whitecircusbird


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